"Where better to care for the soul than in the details of our daily lives?....The soul has an absolute, unforgiving need for regular excursions into enchantment. It requires them like the body needs food and the mind needs thought... An enchanted world is one that speaks to the soul, to the mysterious depths of the heart and imagination where we find value, love and union with the world around us. As mystics of many religions have taught, that sense of rapturous union can give a sense of fulfillment that makes life purposeful and vibrant."
~ Thomas Moore.

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Annie Sloan and IKEA Cabinet

Hello everyone and Happy Thanksgiving to you all, whether you celebrate it or not, Gratitude is a blessing.

I'm posting my experiences and documenting the use of Annie Sloan Chalk Paints.
This is my first post on the 7 pieces of furniture I'm going to paint with Annie Sloan, or some version of Chalk Paints once I understand what it is and how it works, really.

*Update: I painted more, see below.

My first piece with ASCP really should have been a piece of real wood, but the one cabinet that holds the TV and hides my collection of DVD's is needing to be first. This piece we picked up from IKEA and it is not real wood but particle board or some such nonsense which really should be given away for free. It was brown and plain and I had to do a few things to it to make it acceptable.

Here is the cabinet as its being put together, the doors not on yet, but just so you see before its painted.

I bought these wood appliques from Lowe's $5.00 for the pair.

I attached them to the doors with E6000 glue.

I learned that moving furniture is difficult and even more so with men around who make it known they hate to do it too. I decided I want wheels on everything, so in future I will make it so. I had 4 wheels on a clothes rack I no longer use, took them off and inserted them in the holes already on the bottom piece fitted for plastic feet which I used here only to keep the wheels straight while it dried. . I MUCH prefer wheels.
I glued these in with E6000 and it works. This piece rolls around without effort. *happy dance.

here is the piece.....on wheels, with appliques and ready to be Annie Sloaned :D

first strokes......yes, I was all excited to be using the "real thing"........

I had already painted the inside with the regular latex paint used on the walls before it was entirely put together so it was easier to move the pieces and not have my sore body bending, twisted to get into corners LOL. I don't have enough ASCP to do both inside and outside 7 pieces of furniture. But the latex peels and scratches off easily as easily as chalk paint, and I don't like that. I will have to seal the inside with something, any advise will be appreciated.
The parts I used ASCP gets the AS wax....though I hated using the ASCP on this non wood piece of furniture. I have to say if I hadn't worked on real wood on this piece, I would have been entirely discouraged as to how the chalk paint went on to this IKEA pressed board piece. I will not waste ASCP on non woods again, I will make the homemade chalk paint version for those. Also I used only a 2" natural bristle chip brush that came with the ASCP order, and it was not big enough to slap the paint on effortlessly as Annie does along the large sides. I knew I needed a better and larger brush and there was drama that came with that because the "experts" say, use only natural bristle for oils etc, and nylon or polyester bristles for latex or chalk because it is water based. My experience however, is that nylon or poly bristles do not work for anything and only natural bristles hold paint. I decided after doing the first coat on this piece with the 2" chip I couldn't take it anymore and ran to get a "Good" brush that I could complete the other 6 pieces of furniture with otherwise I would go mad. I spent my last $8.00 on a brush designed to work with water based paints or latex, and when I got home I sighed with relief that I had a brush where I could just flip it around the furniture and it gets covered like I've seen Annie Sloan do here....

I mean she slaps that paint on and it goes ON! This was
not my experience. And I will utter a prayer here now....if there is a
Santa, or Angel out there, I could use her large wax brush. I do not
mind doing work if I have the PROPER tools, and the key word is
PROPER.....this makes it all easier. But it was not being easy. I had to
dip too often and the paint dries fast, no spreadability....unless the
brush holds enough paint to get it onto the surface to spread.....and the surface not being wood seemed confused too. It didn't work. I had
to buy a brush. I was not happy. Soooooooo I had to stop again to return it because I did need one that worked, and that is where the drama became melodrama because the "expert" salesman wanted to tell me how ''in theory'' synthetic bristles...yada yada yada.....and I tried to tell him theory means nothing compared with experience and my experience is natural bristles hold more paint, therefore distributes it to the surface,....and on and on. I got a refund. THEN I had to go
to Home Depot and the "EXPERTS'' there also said the synthetic bristles
were best for ''my needs''.....again, I bought one, and went home and
tried it and again, they were wrong. I used the 2" chip to finish the second coat. But by then I was spiritually ruined. :-/ and the prospect of doing 6 more pieces is daunting right now.
Natural bristles are the only way
to paint with chalk paint or latex.....in my experience. I need good brushes, and large ones. Unfortunately, they cost a small fortune.

UPDATE; housemate John bought 2 Purdy natural bristle brushes this morning after seeing my very emotional reciting of my experiences with the brush....and this one I'm using works much better :D and I called the stockist who sold me the paints and explained my brush drama and she told me ONLY NATURAL BRISTLES WORK WITH THIS PAINT, brushes like Purdy or Wooster. She also said that IKEA surfaces ARE challenging that they need to be shellacked first to get best results, but some people do not want to go through the work, like me, and I've learned my limitations, so I will just have to be very very careful in using this one and pray and hope it doesn't scratch whenver I pull out my DVD's.
So, as my experience demonstrated, forget what the ''experts'' say, and go with the natural bristles only for this. I however, use them for any paints, they work best.

To finish up here....

Here is first coat.......scary as usual people!!

second coat.....I thought I would apply Old Ochre on the trim and appliques but I dont' want to work on this piece anymore and I do like it as is....the color is beautiful and silky, milky creamy looking warm white. I just have to wax it.....and see how that goes on to a non wood surface! But from what I understand, the point of the waxing is it works with the paint itself to seal it and make it durable. Ok, mama. :D
However again, I did buy a $10.00 wax brush but it is entirely too small, another bit of a setback......I need a large one desperately. I hope I don't go nuts with all this. I do want to enjoy this process, sigh. Oh Santa, please hear me.

It moves around like a dream on the wheels I put in, and I don't have to ask for help in moving this one yea!

I recommend a bouncy ball to sit on to work on low areas because it rolls around with you and is bouncy and fun!
for those who haven't already figured this out.....makes a great seat.

coat of wax on......I did as they all say.....a tiny tiny bit....and then wiped off. Tomorrow I will buff....what is that?

For some reason this part got circles and I could not get them off, I rubbed and rubbed, but it won't move. I was not happy about that. Then I added more wax and rubbed and rubbed, still it didn't come off.

But I'm done with this one and tomorrow it shall be filled and put in place. Today I start on the big guy.

I decided to add the Old Ochre because the large piece had it and it looked great and this one seemed too monochromatic. I added the Old Ochre on the trim and appliques and I like it a bit better.

7 comments:

What a before and after!I am inspired, dear friend, I really am...So sorry for all of the troubles with those brushes...frustrating indeed...proper tools are everything.It really does look very pretty :)))Brava!A blessed day to you....joy and peace...Love and light,- Irina

Thank you very muchly LOL Yes proper tools are way important especially to me.I updated it since I did the trim too....today the big piece was painted and partially waxed because I had to stop for blogging and no more pic storage space which I had to fix...took hours.but its a pretty look and I just have to figure out how to make the shelves not get damaged from use since I'm not sealing it....cannot stand any more chemicals!Maybe put wall paper? or more wrapping which I have...thank you for being here all the time, I truly appreciate it.blessingslady

Yes, kindred spirit indeed! I wanted to say that but was too distracted looking at all the magic that you have on your blog which spoke to my soul so deeply. I just wish I could have all those things around me all the time, in the form of people who sparkle, glow and emanate such beauty as a flower and crystals. I loved "you are sacred space". Your writings also had a positive effect on me.....said many things I feel.blessings of magic and beautylady

Find someone who traces the lines in your hands just to feel close to you, and someone who believes the ocean is trapped in your eyes. Find someone who loves the bones in your body and loves the skin that you live in. Find someone who will help you love yourself. ~ (k.b.g)